Game-box



(No Model.)

B. H. COLBY.

GAME BOX.

No.467,770. Patented Jan.26,1892.

risun; 1.

I new: 4.

FIN/RE 2.

FIGURE 5.

FIHIIE 3;

W izzz ess es [12 7/1972 0r QQ X f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRANCH HARRIS COLBY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GAM E-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,770, dated January 26, 1892.

Application filed September 26, 1891. Serial No. 406,967. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BRANCH HARRIS COLBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis,in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Game-Box, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a new construction of a game-box not hitherto made.

The object of my invention is, first, in a game of cards to eliminate the element of chance and make success depend entirely upon the relative skill of the players; second- 1y, to subsequently distribute without again dealing or shufiiing, the same series of hands previously played, the distributionbein g made in such a manner that the hands first held by the partners A and B will subsequently be given to their opponents O and D, and the hands first held by C and D will at the same time be given to A and B, to the end that when the play is finished A and B will have played exactly the same hands as C and D have played and C and D will have played exactly the same hands as A and B have played. I attain these objects by using boxes of peculiar configuration and novel construction, illustrated in the accompanying drawings of one box, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the top cover of the box; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the body of the box 5 Fig. 3, a perspective View of the bottom cover of the box; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the box with top cover removed, bottom cover on, and body of box filled with cards arranged in hands, as in actual play; and Fig. 5,aperspective View of the box when all of its parts are put together.

It will be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 3 that although Fig. 1 is an exterior view of the top cover of the box and Fig. 3 an interior view of the bottom cover of the box these two pieces of the box are precisely alike and will, in fact, cover either end of the body of the box shown in Fig. 2.

When the three pieces of the box are put together, thelower edge of the top cover will meet the upper edge of the lower cover at the dotted line L L L. (Shown in Fig. 2.)

The body of the box has four sides, but is open at both ends. Its novel construction consists in having in one interior angle or corner a pillar or post P, which serves the double purpose of strengthening the body of the box and holding the cards or hands in superposition in the manner hereinafter described.

The objects of myinvention are attained by using the boxes in the following manner, to wit: Suppose the game to be played is whist and A and B and O and D are opposing partners. Take, say, twelve packs of cards, the exact number being immaterial, thirteen counters, which may be paste disks or buttons, and let each player have one of the above-described boxes. The players will take the usual positions assumed in playing whist. The thirteen counters are placed in the center of the table. Pack No.1 will be shuffled and dealt, as is usual, and play then proceed as in the ordinary mode of playing whist, withthe exception that the players instead of putting their cards in the middle of the table place them upon the table immediately in front of their several positions. After each has played it will be seen who wins the trick, and one of the partners winning the trick will now take one counter from the center of the table, whereupon each player will turn face downward the card he last played, the winner of the trick will lead, and play continue in this way until all of the cards of the first pack have been played. The counters are now counted and total number of tricks won by opposing partners noted on a piece of paper provided for the purpose. Each player now places the cards he just played in his box, face upward, and the other packs are in turn proceeded with in the same manner as pack No. 1, the successive hands being alternately crossed in each box to prevent mixing and held in superposition by the pillar or post P, as shown in Fig. 4, until the entire number (twelve in this case) of packs have been played. The covers will now be placed over the boxes and each player will give his box to his righthand opponent. A and B will now have the hands previously held and played by C and D, and C and D will have the hands previously held and played by A and B. Each player now turns his box upside down, removes the top cover, takes out the top hand, and play proceeds as before, one suit being elected trump when play began, until allthe hands have been played, except that after playing each hand the cards may now be placed together and each pack laid aside. The total number of tricks W011 by opposing partners are now summed and the winners thus determined. It Will thus be seen that by means of the novel form and peculiar construction of the boxes, one of which is repre-.

sented in the accompanying drawings, all of the objects above mentioned of my invention have beenaccomplished.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is o 1. In a game-box, a pillar or post P to hold 

